Charlie Weis' hot seat to benefit Urban Meyer?

Image: Victors Valiant
The pressure on Notre Dame's Charlie Weis is now at diamond creation levels in the wake of their loss to Syracuse, and the Midwest media is beginning to line up and pile on in hopes of pushing the Irish to make a coaching change.

Here's some of the best hot seat articles:

• Limping into the Future - Chicago Sun-Times
  
• Irish don't look up to the task - Chicago Sun-Times
  
• Pressure starting to snowball - South Bend Tribune
  
• It's Time to Change - ND Nation (I think the Pope runs this site)
  
• The Players aren't Responding - Chicago Tribune
  
• An Irish Conundrum - NY Times**

In the midst of the shouting, the call seems to be "Call Urban Meyer and offer him The Universe!!!11!" Even the Florida press is suggesting that it simply makes sense that Meyer would consider the Irish.

• Meyer and ND seem a perfect fit - Florida Today
  
• A dream marriage - Tallahassee Democrat*

I personally think that Weis will be given one more year at Notre Dame. It'll be a close shave decision, but ND should be at a bowl low enough on the totem pole that the bowl losing streak will be broken. That may be enough to buy a small window of grace.

They would also still owe as much as $24 million to Weis if he left this season. Next year, that total should drop by another $3.5-4 million, and he would've been given every imaginable opportunity to succeed.

Yes. Meyer would make an excellent fit at Notre Dame. In his new book "Urban's Way" he still refers to the Fighting Irish job as his dream gig. And if the Gators win the SEC this year and play for the national title, what's left to prove in Gainesville?

The biggest things working against ND if they were to pursue Meyer are:

• The Gators know Meyer is a target. They can preemptively work to keep him financially.
  
• It is easier to recruit at Florida than at Notre Dame. I'm talking logistics. Proximity to talent.
  
• Jeremy Foley is a better AD than just about anyone.

The biggest things working for ND are the total size of their wallet, and the fact that they are Notre Dame. My prediction: Meyer will be the highest paid coach in football starting next year, and the beneficiary of the ND rumor mill. And still a Gator.

At best, we can hope for disruptive rumors.

See Also:
-- Fake Notre Dame Fan on the ND Job - EDSBS

PWD


*Yes. That's hardly a non-partisan source given the topic.
**Obviously not mid-western media. But who cares really.